


A Game of Pool

by British_Racing_Green



Category: Free!, 富豪刑事 Balance:UNLIMITED | Fugou Keiji: Balance:Unlimited (Anime)
Genre: Boys In Love, Christmas, Christmas Presents, Coach Tachibana Makoto, Cute Katou Haru, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Drinking, Drinking & Talking, Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Olympic Swimmer Nanase Haruka, One Shot, Pool & Billiards, Post-Canon, References to Canon, Relationship(s), Soft Kambe Daisuke, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28177293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/British_Racing_Green/pseuds/British_Racing_Green
Summary: HaruDai and MakoHaru meet on a night out.
Relationships: Kambe Daisuke/Katou Haru, Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	A Game of Pool

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any rights to 'Balance: Unlimited', 'Free!', or any other brand I may happen to mention.

In their line of work, Haru Kato and Daisuke Kambe sometimes had to work Saturdays. In fact this particular Saturday had seen them as part of an extra security presence for the Tokyo-derby Emperor’s Cup semi-final football match between Urawa Red Diamonds and FC Tokyo.

To Haru’s surprise Daisuke was actually eager to work at the match.

‘ _That time spent in England in his troubled days must have rubbed off on him._ ’ Haru thought as he noticed Daisuke fiddling with HEUSC as they patrolled the outside of the stadium.

“You’re listening to it on the radio aren’t you?” Haru sighed as a loud cheer erupted from within.

“Urawa have just scored.” Daisuke informed him as they kept walking, both trying to keep warm in the crisp but cold just-before-Christmas December air.

The match itself was a long one. Extra-time and a penalty shoot-out was needed to decide who would play in the final on New Year’s Day, and by the time they’d finished their day’s duty the sun had long since set and they were both cold and hungry.

“I suppose we’d better head back to my apartment. I’ll see if the convenient store has anything quick and simple to eat on the way.” Haru muttered and blew into his gloved hands to keep his fingers warm.

“No.” Daisuke affirmed. “We’re going to the club instead. They do good food and drink there and I want to play some pool. Go back to yours and change, and I’ll go back to mine and change. I’ll pick you up. See you in an hour.”

Before Haru could protest, Daisuke had jumped in his Bentley and sped away leaving Haru alone in the car park besides his small car.

“ _Prick_!” He exclaimed but also, much to his own displeasure, agreed that it would be nice to not have to cook and to play games tonight.

_ One hour later _

Haru was waiting by the window of his apartment in his best smart-casual shirt, trousers and shoes. His winter coat was draped over his shoulders. He wouldn’t need it for very long, but he _would_ need it for the journey to Daisuke’s car at least.

The sound of a familiar large W12 Bentley engine alerted Haru that his ride was pulling up outside. He wasted no time in locking his apartment and making his way quickly down the communal steps to the street below.

The Bentley’s rear door was opened for him courtesy of Daisuke who was waiting for him in the back.

“I thought you were going to change.” Haru commented as he did his seatbelt up.

“I did.” Daisuke replied. “Lots of my clothes are similar, but these are for evenings out. I also needed _this_.” He added and held up what looked like a black leather shallow briefcase with gold outlines and the Kambe family logo embossed on each side.

“So you really _do_ want to play pool.” Haru sighed. “Just promise me you won’t wager ridiculous amounts of money on games…again.”

“When you play an oligarch’s son you _have_ to bet big.” Daisuke riposted as his driver pulled away from Haru’s apartment complex and headed into the centre of Tokyo.

There was little conversation between the two men as Tokyo’s lights got brighter and brighter and the streets got busier and busier. Everywhere Haru looked there were Christmas lights, people shopping or heading out for a fun evening.

“I _must_ remember to get to KFC at a decent time on the 25th.” He muttered to himself as they were held at a red light outside the famous establishment.

“Nonsense. You’ll be having Christmas KFC at my house.” Daisuke stated without turning his head away from his own window.

“Let me guess. You have yours flown from Kentucky itself.”

“Maybe.”

Silence filled the back of the car again until the pair were dropped off outside the fancy club Daisuke belonged to. The first thing you met when you opened the door from the street was a reception area with a man behind a small podium and large elevator doors behind him.

“Kambe and guest.” Daisuke said and was shown the way through by the man. Haru made sure to tip him ¥1,000 as he passed him.

They went up at least three dozen floors in the elevator, which opened directly to the club itself. Haru had been there before and still had to pinch himself that such a place existed. The club looked like a normal bar, only _much_ larger. A horseshoe bar was off to the right side as they entered, and dozens of tables where populated by loud CEOs, idols and film stars. Over the other side of the dining tables was where the pool tables were, none of which were being used right now.

“Do you want to eat first?” Daisuke asked Haru.

“Why do you think I’m here? And as I’m your guest, _you’re buying._ ” Haru insisted, which Daisuke didn’t have a problem with.

Dinner between the two went past rather quickly. Both ordered a burger with a beer and spent most of the time listening to the conversations being had at the tables around them. While Haru found many of the topics (most of which were money-related) rather vulgar, he couldn’t help but almost burst out laughing whenever a waitress rejected one particularly drunk investment banker’s requests.

“Can we go and play now?” Daisuke asked Haru as their plates were taken away.

“Sure.” Haru grinned and they stood up and made their way over to the pool tables…just as two more, younger men did from the opposite direction.

Haru took a few steps before he realised he was converging on another Haru…Haruka Nanase, who had won three Olympic gold medals (and a silver and bronze too) earlier that summer. His much-publicised fiancée Makoto Tachibana was behind him of course.

Inspector Kato froze on the spot and couldn’t help but gawp at who was now standing directly in front of him.

“Can I help you?” Haru N. asked his star struck namesake.

“Haru what’s wrong?” Both Daisuke and Makoto asked as they stopped behind the Harus.

Haru K. could only place his hand over his gaping mouth in stunned amazement before pulling it away and going full fanboy.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! You’re Haruka Nanase! You’re so awesome and cool! I watched as much of the swimming in the summer as I could. _That_ 100m freestyle final with Matsuoka, Kirishima, Wåhlander and Kinjou was _unreal_! And when you and Makoto kissed afterwards, I got _really chocked up_.” He blabbed and then made eye-contact with a slightly blushing Makoto.

“Hi.” Haru K. nervously wiggle waved his fingers at Makoto.

“Do you gentlemen come here often?” Daisuke asked Haru N. and Makoto.

“No, we don’t. This is our first time.” Haru N. said as Makoto put his hand on his soulmate’s shoulders.

“Haru was given a membership because of the medals he won.” Makoto smiled proudly, making his Haru blush.

“Their mackerel is really good.” Haru N. added, noticing Haru K. was still looking at him like a child would look at Superman.

The four men stood awkwardly together for a few seconds, not really having much else to say until Makoto spoke up.

“We were going to play some pool actually. Would you like to join us?” he offered.

“Absolutely, that’s what we’re here for.” Daisuke smiled and moved passed his Haru to make his way up the small walkway to the pool tables. “Would you like to join me for the first game Mr. Tachibana?” the billionaire detective asked, already knowing the swimming coach’s name.

“Sure. I’d love to mister.” Makoto smiled.

“Haru would you get us some more beer?” Daisuke and Makoto said in unison again.

“Yeah.” Haru N. nodded and started walking over to the bar.

Haru K. was just about to follow him when Daisuke stopped him from his vantage point on the raised floor the pool tables were on.

“Stop freaking the kid out.” Daisuke told his partner.

Haru K. scoffed. “I’m _not_. I’m just excited. And _don’t_ play for money against Makoto!”

With that he went to join the other Haru at the bar.

_ Upon the Harus’ return with two mugs of beer each _

“Hey Haru, turns out our new friends are detectives.” Makoto said as Haru N. gave him his beer in the hand that wasn’t holding one of the club’s cues.

“Really?” Haru N. replied as he glanced at Haru K. before taking a sip of beer. “I can _assure_ you officer that all white substances injected into my body came from him.” He joked pointing at Makoto.

Haru K. didn’t get it at first but Daisuke, who was bent over the table making sure the balls were properly in place in the triangle, began chuckling. His shoulders began bouncing and tears filled his eyes.

“ _Haru!_ ” Makoto recoiled in shock.

Daisuke, who was still laughing, turned around and sighed.

“I’ll give that one to you Nanase _that_ was pretty funny. Tachibana you can break. Inspector Kato, I suggest you watch our friend here.”

Haru K. was still trying to process the joke and was wondering if he should be calling the World Anti-Doping Agency. But Haru N. was pulling him onto one of two bar stools by the top left corner of the table. It just happened to also be the perfect place to watch Makoto bend over and address the cue-ball.

Makoto took a deep breath, pulled the cue back a couple of times, then hit the white ball as hard as he could, sending it into the fifteen solid and stripe coloured balls with a mighty crash, scattering them in all directions. But no balls went into any of the pockets.

“Ah darn it.” Makoto griped as he looked over to Daisuke, who to his utter shock was assembling his exquisitely beautiful custom cue, which even came with its own special black chalk for the tip.

“You _did_ agree _no_ money _right_?” Both Harus asked their respective partners in another unified voice.

“Don’t worry. This is for fun.” Daisuke replied stoically before bending over the table.

“Seven.” He called before cutting the seven-ball into a side pocket.

Daisuke then quickly went about effortlessly sinking the five, two and one, which made Makoto start to anxiously bite his thumbnail.

Haru K. didn’t want to enjoy Daisuke massacring Makoto on the baize, but he _was_ enjoying seeing Daisuke bend over in front of him as he lined up an attempt on the three.

Daisuke could tell his Haru was looking at his butt, so he arched it ever so slightly higher. Haru K.’s breath hitched a tiny bit, but that tiny bit was enough to give him away to Haru N., who looked at his namesake out of the corner of his eye as he gulped another mouthful of beer.

But showing his butt off to his Haru was to be Daisuke’s undoing. He was unbalanced and hit the three-ball into the jaw of the middle pocket, and left the white in a great place for Makoto.

“Come on Makoto!” Haru N. cheered and slapped his thighs in encouragement as Makoto decided to go for the thirteen.

The pot was successful, as where his attempts on the closely-spaced fifteen, fourteen, eleven _and_ ten.

All the remaining balls (Makoto’s nine and twelve, Daisuke’s three, four and six, and the all-important eight, were in a gaggle around the foot of the table. There was no shot on for Makoto, so he decided to play a safety shot. He only fractionally hit the nine so the cue-ball would be as far away from Daisuke’s balls as he could get it. The white ball stopped just beyond the baulk line.

“Nice. _Very_ nice.” Daisuke nodded. He thought Makoto was going to be a push over, much like almost every drunkard he’d played in pubs in England during his troubled years, but the swimming coach clearly played often and knew what he was doing.

Daisuke decided to bait Makoto. He hit the cue-ball deadweight into his three-ball, which freed it but also teased Makoto by giving him a chance to pot his nine.

“Take your time.” Haru N. called out and Makoto nodded. His game face was well and truly on.

But Makoto was getting nervous, having never played someone with their own cue like Daisuke’s he knew he too was playing a serious player, and wanted to win.

His nerves got the better of him, and the nine wobbled in the jaws of the corner pocket and didn’t go down.

Daisuke smiled to himself and in his own time buried the three-ball and dispatched the four, leaving just his six, which was now touching the eight. He knew he couldn’t pot it, so he rolled up to it, totally blocking Makoto’s nine ball, and leaving him a high-risk bank shot for the twelve.

Makoto looked at his Haru who nodded. Makoto nodded back and before Daisuke could take a swig of beer, he watched Makoto fire the twelve-ball into the nearest cushion and it fly off at an angle directly into the opposite middle pocket.

“Fuck.” Daisuke muttered as he watched the swimmer and his coach fist bump with beaming smiles on their faces.

However, Makoto couldn’t see all of the nine-ball properly, so he had to try and swerve around the two balls that where blocking him. He jacked his now well-chalked cue up and struck down onto the white, sending it off on a curved trajectory, which sadly failed to cleanly pass the six.

“Two shots to me!” Daisuke called and Makoto’s shoulders sank. He walked over to the Harus and rested on his Haru.

“Sorry.” He whispered.

The balls were now in such positions that Daisuke could pot the six and the eight in the same pocket.

He lined up the six and sent it down easily, but he’d not thought long enough about where he wanted the white ball to go because he had an extra shot! In fact rather than gently rolling back to almost the same place, the cue-ball tore backwards and sent Makoto’s own nine-ball into the pocket it was covering as well!

“Two for Makoto!!” Haru N. shouted and pointed at the table, Daisuke slamming the butt of the cue into the carpet as he walked away.

His own Haru knew how much that cue cost, but also knew that Daisuke could just buy another one if he broke it.

“We only get one shot if we’re both on the eight-ball.” Makoto told his Haru. In fact one shot was all he really needed, because the white had come to a stop in a _perfect_ position for him.

Makoto steadied himself, took his time, and very calmly rolled the black eight-ball into the pocket to win the game.

“Congratulations.” Daisuke said and offered his hand to Makoto. “I’ll buy you a drink when you want another one.”

“Thank you. Actually I wouldn’t mind a plate of snacks instead. Is that okay with the Harus?” Makoto smiled and turned around, getting a nod from the pair.

“Let’s go then.” Daisuke put his arm around Makoto and led him over to the bar.

Haru N. watched and waited until they were out of earshot, took another gulp of beer and turned to Haru K.

“So, how long have you two been together then inspector?”

Haru K. recoiled and tried to process a response as fast as he possibly could, but his sense of honour didn’t allow him to lie. He sighed, realising he was going to have to tell the truth.

“Since the spring as work colleagues and a few months ago as an item. I’m not really sure how we ended up together in a romantic way, but it feels nice to know there’s someone who wants to be with me for a change.”

Haru N. smiled and noticed their partners were in a queue at the bar.

“To your first Christmas together.” He offered his glass up.

“Thank you.” Haru K. smiled and clinked their mugs together.

_ Epilogue _

Shortly after the club closed for the night Daisuke called his car and offered to take Makoto and his Haru back to their apartment, which they accepted.

The two inspectors didn’t stay for very long, but there was just enough time for Haru N. to show off his massive collection of mascot plushies. Haru K. promised to give the swimmer a Patrol-kun plushie if he appeared at an anti-drug event in the new year. Haru N. obviously agreed.

Around an hour later Daisuke and Haru were getting ready for bed in the Kambe family home. Nothing was going to happen. They were both sleepy and just wanted to snuggle.

“Should I send them a gift for Christmas?” Daisuke asked as he felt Haru’s arms around his waist.

“That’s up to you. But I don’t think they’d appreciate anything expensive.” Haru replied.

A few days later Makoto answered the door to a courier bearing gifts for him and Haru. They decided to wait until Christmas Day to open them.

“These look like they’re from those detectives from the other night.” Haru said as he felt the Kambe logo wrapping paper.

They opened their gifts. A custom pool cue for Makoto, and a super rare mascot plush from a long ago Olympics for Haru.

**Author's Note:**

> In recently released official artworks, both Daisuke and Makoto are seen with pool equipment.  
> The Emperor's Cup is a men's football (soccer) tournament that is completed around Christmas and New Year.  
> Yes, KFC on Christmas Day is a thing in Japan. Google it.
> 
> If you liked this please leave a comment and check out my other works.


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